No water flow meter installed (Under Floor Heating)

Spir4

Mutton_Geoff said:

For £2 each, I'd buy a set of four flow controls and see if they fit. It's important to balance the system as shorter pipe runs will be hogging the water and deprive room(s) with longer run.

I'm assuming each room has it's own stat? What controller do you have?

I'll have a look if beneath those hexagon nuts are actual regulators, and if not I'll look into buying those tube flow meters.

Yeah, each room as it's own stat. As a controller I've got the Heatmiser UH8 (if that's what you mean).

Mutton_Geoff

Spir4 said:

Mutton_Geoff said:

For £2 each, I'd buy a set of four flow controls and see if they fit. It's important to balance the system as shorter pipe runs will be hogging the water and deprive room(s) with longer run.

I'm assuming each room has it's own stat? What controller do you have?

I'll have a look if beneath those hexagon nuts are actual regulators, and if not I'll look into buying those tube flow meters.

Yeah, each room as it's own stat. As a controller I've got the Heatmiser UH8 (if that's what you mean).

It makes a big difference that you have individual smart controls, the balancing is less of a problem as each zone has a stat but the ability to measure and set the flow accurately is important for efficiency of the system and to make sure one zone (ie shortest pipework) doesn't hog all the water if all zones calling for heat.

I have the Heatmiser system also, two lots of UH8, one upstairs, one down with the whole house heated by UFH off an ASHP so careful setting up vital to conserve energy. I switched my stats to the smart ones so I can control the heating via the Heatmiser Neo app, might be worth looking at if you don't already have.

Spir4

Mutton_Geoff said:

Spir4 said:

Mutton_Geoff said:

For £2 each, I'd buy a set of four flow controls and see if they fit. It's important to balance the system as shorter pipe runs will be hogging the water and deprive room(s) with longer run.

I'm assuming each room has it's own stat? What controller do you have?

I'll have a look if beneath those hexagon nuts are actual regulators, and if not I'll look into buying those tube flow meters.

Yeah, each room as it's own stat. As a controller I've got the Heatmiser UH8 (if that's what you mean).

It makes a big difference that you have individual smart controls, the balancing is less of a problem as each zone has a stat but the ability to measure and set the flow accurately is important for efficiency of the system and to make sure one zone (ie shortest pipework) doesn't hog all the water if all zones calling for heat.

I have the Heatmiser system also, two lots of UH8, one upstairs, one down with the whole house heated by UFH off an ASHP so careful setting up vital to conserve energy. I switched my stats to the smart ones so I can control the heating via the Heatmiser Neo app, might be worth looking at if you don't already have.

Yeah I was looking into those smart stats as well. The only reason I haven't yet is because it's going to be my first winter in the flat so I don't want to blame bad heating on me changing the system, if you know what I mean. I'm going to see for a month or so (when I start needing the heating), see how it does, and then maybe change the stats.

Mutton_Geoff

If you've not had wet UFH before, the secret is avoid using it like normal CH with two timed cycles a day. It needs to be on all the time with a low fallback temp during the night, not off completely as it takes too long to reheat.

Spir4

Mutton_Geoff said:

If you've not had wet UFH before, the secret is avoid using it like normal CH with two timed cycles a day. It needs to be on all the time with a low fallback temp during the night, not off completely as it takes too long to reheat.

That's a good tip thank you. What temperatures do you suggest? For example 21 during the day and 18 at night?

So from complete cold it can easily take a couple of hours to get your room up to temperature?

Rodders53

Read up on UFH and setup.

With ASHP low flow temp Mutton_Geoff is probably 100% correct... 

But our oil-fired UFH is too noisy (boiler) to run during hours we sleep, so we have to 'fiddle' times it's on and off.  It's also a home where the solar gain is massive and a hot floor during sunny days = overheated rooms... even with thermostats in each.

There's no one size fits all on how to use UFH.

If all four UFH heating loop lengths are similar then there's possibly no need for balancing valves / flow meters?   

How old is the installation?  
What is the heat source?

Flat:  have you spoken to neighbours about the UFH - they likely have the same or similar installations? Some may have manuals or other documentation you can copy?

https://www.theunderfloorheatingcompany.co.uk/product/manifold-flow-meter/ suggests flow meters are not universal and do need the specific manifold maker's units.

Spir4

Rodders53 said:

Read up on UFH and setup.

With ASHP low flow temp Mutton_Geoff is probably 100% correct... 

But our oil-fired UFH is too noisy (boiler) to run during hours we sleep, so we have to 'fiddle' times it's on and off.  It's also a home where the solar gain is massive and a hot floor during sunny days = overheated rooms... even with thermostats in each.

There's no one size fits all on how to use UFH.

If all four UFH heating loop lengths are similar then there's possibly no need for balancing valves / flow meters?   

How old is the installation?  
What is the heat source?

Flat:  have you spoken to neighbours about the UFH - they likely have the same or similar installations? Some may have manuals or other documentation you can copy?

https://www.theunderfloorheatingcompany.co.uk/product/manifold-flow-meter/ suggests flow meters are not universal and do need the specific manifold maker's units.

Yeah I did speak to neighbours but there's a lot of coming and going in this building so most renters don't care/know about this stuff. Other owners have got the same manuals I've got, which is basically nothing.

The installation is from 2018, the heat source is a central heating system with the boilers in the basement of the building, based on hot water.